Whether it's Blue Bird or I Wanna Shout I Love You, both are anime opening themes. Songs like these become hits for two reasons: first, they're genuinely catchy; second, they ride the wave of the anime's popularity.
This world doesn't have Naruto or Slam Dunk.
The reach of these two songs definitely can't match their fame in my previous life, but everything's relative.
If you're buying a house, ten thousand yen is peanuts. But for a night out with friends, drinks, and good food, it's plenty. Relying on these two songs to win a major award is a long shot, but as the finishing touch for K-On!, they're more than enough.
No surprises there—when Blue Bird and I Wanna Shout I Love You were presented, Ms. Mori and Executive Director Honda got visibly excited, showering Himawari Izumi with praise. But between the lines, it was clear they were hoping she'd play matchmaker, arranging a dinner with Tetsu Fuyukawa to build a closer connection.
Being fawned over by company bigwigs was a bit overwhelming for Himawari, who hadn't even graduated high school yet. Luckily, Tetsu had anticipated this scenario before she left that morning.
"Um… my brother said he's long admired Executive Director Honda and Ms. Mori, but he's swamped with a new project right now and can't make time. He'll come visit when he's free," Himawari said, forcing a calm demeanor.
Executive Director Honda slapped his thigh and laughed heartily. "Yoshi! The Binding of Isaac just launched not long ago, and he's already got a new project? Sugoi! Mr. Fuyukawa's the real deal! In that case, Sistar will eagerly await his good news!"
At that, Honda glanced at the still slightly nervous Himawari but didn't press further. Checking his watch, he turned to Vice-Minister Tanaka. "It's getting late. Please convey our thanks to Ms. Izumi again. Tanaka, make sure you keep a close eye on her matters from now on, got it?"
"Hai! Please rest assured, Executive Director!"
"Good. Go on. And Ms. Izumi, if you ever face any issues in the company that can't be resolved, feel free to come straight to me."
Straight to the Executive Director?
Tanaka's jaw nearly dropped, his eyes brimming with envy as he looked at Himawari.
In mid-to-large Japanese companies, the hierarchy goes: section chief, division chief, vice-minister, minister, general minister, director, supervisory director, managing director, executive director, president, and chairman!
Chairmen are mostly figureheads these days, and not all companies have section chiefs, though some do.
So, the executive director is essentially second only to the president, overseeing hundreds or even thousands. As an idol group member, Himawari's status was light-years away from even the lowest management rung, the section chief!
Yet now, she could go straight to the executive director with urgent matters!
Does Executive Director Honda value Mr. Fuyukawa that much?!
Tanaka's mind reeled, but he bowed respectfully, leading the equally bowing Himawari out of the office. Only after the door closed did Honda's warm smile fade, replaced by a serious expression.
"Ms. Mori, do we really need to go this far?"
Sipping oolong tea, Honda glanced at Ms. Mori, a hint of confusion in his eyes. As the executive director of a mid-to-large company, he acknowledged Tetsu's songwriting talent, but going all out for Himawari seemed excessive. Sistar wasn't short on popular artists, after all. His enthusiasm had stemmed entirely from Ms. Mori's subtle cues.
Yes, Ms. Mori's cues!
Ms. Mori held the title of supervisory director—not the top position, but she was the president's confidante and a key figure in Sistar's rapid rise. Even Honda owed his own promotion to her, though he'd since surpassed her.
Out of respect, loyalty, and factional ties, Honda held the older woman in high regard.
Hearing his question, Ms. Mori glanced at the sheet music, then casually set it on the coffee table, her earlier excitement gone. "These two songs are great, no doubt. But if it were just about these songs, we wouldn't need to make such a fuss. However…"
She took a refined sip of oolong tea, smiling. "When I stepped out to the restroom earlier, I looked into this girl's background. Before joining Sistar, she gained fame with I Once Thought of Ending It All. The songwriter? That internet sensation, Beyond."
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"Beyond? Oh, I know—the mysterious creator who blew up overnight last year with Boundless Ocean and Sky, then vanished. I loved that song! Executive Director Kobu tried to sign them, but even with all his industry connections, he couldn't track them down…" Honda's brows furrowed as realization hit, his posture stiffening. "You mean—"
"Yes."
Ms. Mori's eyes gleamed with approval as she nodded, her wise, aged gaze settling on the sheet music. "Beyond's meteoric rise wasn't just because their songs were great or their talent exceptional. They also gave their music away for free. That suggests either songwriting is a hobby and they have another job, or they're deliberately avoiding the spotlight to protect their privacy.
Why would someone with such a distinct approach help this girl? I Once Thought of Ending It All could've boosted any top artist's fame to new heights. From these clues…"
Looking at Honda, whose breathing had quickened, Ms. Mori elegantly crossed her legs, her expression tinged with disbelief. "Beyond can only be someone close to her. And the only person around her with that kind of talent is Mr. Fuyukawa."
"This…"
Even with his suspicions, Honda felt a chill hearing Ms. Mori confirm it!
A talented singer, unless she's a diva-level superstar, isn't critical to Sistar. But someone like Tetsu Fuyukawa, with top-tier skills and the ability to consistently produce stellar work? That's a game-changer!
Sistar's struck gold!
Honda's excitement surged, and he instinctively reached for his phone to call the contracts department.
He wanted to switch Himawari's short-term contract to a long-term one, but as his hand paused, Ms. Mori spoke up.
Smiling approvingly at the now-calm Honda, she said, "Looks like the executive director role has tempered your impulsiveness. You're right—we don't need to change anything yet. A top talent like Mr. Fuyukawa, who's not even thirty and already a vice-minister at NTsoft, likely knew we'd figure out his identity when he gave us these songs. Clearly, he has a solid career plan for this girl. So, for now, we wait and show our capability and sincerity."
"Hai, Ms. Mori's experience still outshines mine. I've got some growing to do!"
Calming down, Honda gulped his oolong tea, his excitement easing.
Switching Himawari to a long-term contract would benefit Sistar most, but Tetsu hadn't brought it up, indicating he wasn't ready. Pushing too hard now could strain their harmonious relationship.
Sistar's task was to demonstrate capability and sincerity, outshining competitors to keep Himawari. As for whether Tetsu might take her solo in the future…
Honda thought it unlikely.
Japan's a paradoxical place: you can marry at eighteen but can't smoke or drink until twenty. School clubs buzz with activity, but workplaces often stagnate. This contradiction is stark in the music industry.
Japan's music scene is massive—the world's second-largest market. Yet, with an 82.9% internet penetration rate and 95.3% of people, including kids and seniors, owning smartphones, 66% of last year's music sales came from physical records!
Streaming apps accounted for just 33%!
Incredibly, in this internet age, physical records remain the cash cow for Japan's music industry, for both artists and creators.
Selling records, though, is costly.
You need to secure manufacturers or build your own factory, plus establish downstream retail channels.
That's all cost—initial investment and ongoing operations. And the kicker?
The music market's tiny.
Games, movies, music—all fall under entertainment. Some might rank games below movies, but last year, the global film industry was worth about $100 billion, music $26 billion, and games a whopping $240 billion—1.6 trillion RMB!
Add movies and music together, double it, and it barely rivals gaming. Plus, gaming's growing at over 10% annually!
Honda didn't believe Tetsu would start from scratch. At most, he'd compare offers and partner with a music entertainment company.
A creator of his caliber couldn't be let go!
With that thought, Honda's gaze sharpened.
---
Tetsu was oblivious to the outside buzz and didn't care to know. He was dealing with something else.
"The motion capture actor for Wolf got injured?"
At Light Bird Studio, in the vice-minister's office.
Sipping tea brought by Sayoko, Tetsu looked up from his computer, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. Apparently, they crashed while racing on Mount Akina. The injuries are severe, and even if they recover, it's unclear if they can continue filming," said Aunt Nogi, cautiously glancing at Miyano Mitei—who was oddly working in the office—before turning back to Tetsu. "Kawaguchi's already looking for a replacement on the combat planning side, but motion capture actors skilled in kendo are rare. It might delay things a few days."
"A few days' delay, huh…"
Tetsu frowned slightly. Wolf was the protagonist of Sekiro, and like Black Myth: Wukong, it was an action game requiring motion capture.
Simply put, motion capture involves actors wearing special suits, with their movements tracked by software and applied to the game.
Sekiro revolves around swordplay—specifically kendo—so the actor ideally needed kendo expertise. Such talent wasn't abundant, but NTsoft's deep pockets and connections made it manageable.
After a moment's thought, Tetsu glanced at the clock, now at 5 p.m., and nodded to Aunt Nogi. "Got it. Tell Kawaguchi to hustle. I'll think of some solutions too. Have him contact me with any updates."
"Hai. I'll head out then."
"Mm."
Seeing Tetsu wasn't in the mood to chat further and sensing the odd vibe of two women and one man in the office, Aunt Nogi quickly left after her report. As her footsteps faded amid the growing sound of colleagues leaving for the day, Miyano stretched and grinned. "That obasan—you planning to take her with you too?"
"Obasan? Can you show a little respect?"
Rolling his eyes, Tetsu closed his laptop and stretched, his joints popping.
Glancing at Sayoko, still working nearby, he didn't rush to leave. Instead, he nodded. "Nogi and Kawaguchi aren't standout talents, but they're solid enough. More importantly, they're my old crew. I know their personalities, which makes working with them easier and more reliable."
"Tch, just say you're sentimental. No need to play it cool," Miyano teased, rolling her eyes. She got up to pour three cups of tea, sipping one as she glanced at Tetsu. "So, what about the motion capture actor? Need me to look for someone?"
"Yeah, that'd be great. But no rush—focus on modeling the other boss characters for now."
Wolf, as Sekiro's protagonist, required the most motion capture data, but with plenty of bosses in the game, a brief delay on the protagonist wasn't a big deal.
"Alright," Miyano said, dropping the topic. She plopped down next to Sayoko, who was still a bit nervous, chatting with staff on her screen.
But one look, and Miyano's sharp brows furrowed. "Don't use such a weak tone with subordinates."
"Eek—I thought… I thought it'd make them feel more… relaxed," Sayoko stammered, her cheeks flushing as she sipped her hot tea nervously.
Sensing her unease, Miyano sighed, pulled over a stool, and squeezed Sayoko's arm. Taking over the laptop, she typed while scolding gently, "I'm not saying to intimidate them. Your vibe and resume are different from mine. Even if you try to act tough, they might not take it seriously. But you can't sound too soft either. As a leader, if you lack confidence, your team will too. An unconfident team won't succeed."
"Oh! I see!"
"Dumb-dumb, watch how I talk to them."
As quitting time approached, the streets outside the floor-to-ceiling windows grew busier. Inside, watching the "mature mentor-student duo" banter over the laptop, Tetsu leaned back in the boss's chair, cradling his teacup against his stomach, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
This is the life I want."
Soaking in the warm, harmonious vibe, Tetsu, after a busy day, felt a serene calm—like napping on a winter afternoon and waking to curl your toes in comfort.
Just then, his phone pinged with a Line notification.
"This late—Himawari?"
Sipping his tea, Tetsu grabbed his phone. But one glance at the screen, and he froze.
[Asuka Tsukitake: I'm back in Japan! Buy me some pink stuff tonight!]